Competition: Northern Premier League West

Stafford Rangers vs Trafford FC

Tom Baker’s new look Trafford side produced a magnificent performance full of character and desire as they edged a seven goal thriller at Stafford on Saturday.

Unfortunately Baker himself was missing from the game due to illness, but his team made a whirlwind start with two goals inside the first eleven minutes.

The game was just five minutes old when debutant Charlie Frost fed Brad Byrne whose low drive from 20 yards squirmed under the body of goalkeeper Arron Davies and nestled in the bottom corner.

Frost then got on the score-sheet when Trafford skipper Harry Norris pushed the ball through to him and he coolly poked the ball inside the far corner.

Rangers began to settle after their nightmare start and in the 15th minute Trafford keeper Sam Booth saved brilliantly to thwart a snapshot by Callum King-Harmes.

The host’s main weapon in attack was the amazingly long throw of captain Jimmy O’Neill although Trafford claimed that the use of a towel in drying the ball before each throw was not in the spirit of the game.

And it was from one such long throw in the 24th minute that Rangers reduced the arrears, Scott Wara rising the highest in the packed penalty area to head inside the left hand upright.

The home team were now well on top and keeper Booth twice produced fine saves to deny Wara and Jack Birch.

Trafford midfielder Taylor Dyson fired wide from 25 yards in a rare attack by the visitors and the sides went in at the interval with Baker’s Boys clinging to their slender lead.

The second half began in a similar vein with Stafford piling forward and putting the Trafford defence under intense pressure.

Booth made routine saves from Kaiman Anderson and Callum Wilson but was helpless in preventing a 62nd minute equaliser when a cross from the left was met by a crisp volley by Jack Birch.

Five minutes later Trafford restored their lead with an absolutely stunning goal by Taylor Dyson who gained possession 40 yards out and struck an unbelievable dipping shot over goalkeeper Davies and into the top corner.

Rangers continued to push forward, winning a succession of corners and long throws, and levelled once more in the 86th minute when Trafford only half-cleared a corner from the right and Jimmy O’Neill pounced to fire home from ten yards.

The visitors showed tremendous fight and determination to take the game to their opponents and in the 88th minute took the lead yet again, Harry Norris glancing a header goalwards that struck the knee of Theo Farquharson and flew past Davies.

Trafford were now defending for their lives but deep into injury time substitute Kris Smith squandered a golden opportunity to make it five when he broke clear but with only goalkeeper Davies to beat shot tamely and hopelessly wide.

The final whistle signalled a memorable victory for the boys from Shawe View but great credit must also be given to Assistant Manager Keil O’Brien and Coach Lee Rick who led the team in Tom Baker’s absence.

Trafford will be hoping to build on this win on Saturday when they entertain Vauxhall Motors at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium in an NPL West Division fixture kicking off at 3 p.m.

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Trafford FC vs Shifnal Town

Trafford mounted a magnificent comeback after trailing 2-0 against third placed Shifnal Town but had to settle for a point as they failed to convert several great chances in the closing stages including a missed penalty in the 72nd minute.

Newly appointed manager Tom Baker included just one new face in his starting line-up, promoting striker Prosper Imar from the Reserves, and his side made a confident start to the game, Matt Davies having a vehement and justified claim for a penalty turned down after just two minutes.

Skipper Harry Norris then saw his bullet header brilliantly tipped over by Andrew Wycherley following a right wing corner before Town took the lead completely against the run of play in the 11th minute when Matthew Barnes-Home fired into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area.

In the 22nd minute Barnes-Home turned creator when he outstripped the Trafford defence out on the right and crossed for Shaq Leachman to net from 15 yards.

Defences were on top for the remainder of the first half with neither goalkeeper troubled, and Trafford left with a mountain to climb if they were to get back into the game.

Whatever manager Baker said to his side at half-time worked wonders and they started the second half with renewed confidence but were let down with their final ball.

In the 60th minute substitute Brad Bryne replaced Alex Bowker and within a minute Trafford had reduced the arrears when Prosper Imar glanced a header past Wycherley following a cross from the right.

At the other end Sam Booth blocked a close range header by Barnes-Home with his feet and in the 72nd minute Trafford were awarded a penalty when Ben Horne was pushed from behind. However, Matt Davies struck the resulting spot kick the wrong side of the upright.

Undaunted by this setback, Trafford continued to press forward and they were rewarded for their enterprise in the 80th minute when Taylor Dyson crashed a thunderous drive from 30 yards that Wycherley parried and Sean Higgins followed up to force the rebound home.

Baker’s Boys were now in the ascendancy and piled forward in search of the winner.

Ben Horne volleyed over following a Davies cross from the right, and Prosper Imar just failed to turn a volley by Hilal Khan past Wycherley.

And five minutes into time-added-on a superb cross from the right by Taylor Dyson just evaded the diving Davies to the frustration of the home crowd.

Despite the disappointment of failing to collect all three points, Trafford can take great heart from a performance that belies their lowly league position and they now travel to Stafford Rangers on Saturday with renewed confidence.

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Kidsgrove Athletic vs Trafford FC

Trafford manager Karl Marginson drafted in three new players for their debuts on Saturday in his bid to move up the NPL West Division table but despite all three making impressive starts, his side fell to a 4-2 defeat against a physically superior Kidsgrove outfit.

The visitors made a disastrous start to the game when, after just ninety seconds, Grove were awarded a free kick 20 yards out and George Cooper’s shot struck the Trafford defensive wall before deflecting into the bottom left hand corner.

Cooper then volleyed inches wide but Trafford gradually settled with Taylor Dyson and Alex Bowker dominating the midfield in Marginson’s new look 4-4-2 formation.

Debutant left back Ben Horne made several telling runs down his flank but with wingers Josh Wood and Campbell Reid both relatively ineffective, Trafford were unable to carve out any openings of note.

In fact, Trafford’s only attempt on goal in that first half was a tame shot from 20 yards by Matt Davies that was comfortably held by Ryan Brown.

At the other end, Sam Booth made a brave block to thwart Travis Cape and then saved a long range effort by Jay Ford.

Harry Norris volleyed wide as Trafford made a bright start to the second half but in the 55thminute they fell further behind when they only half cleared a cross from the left and Grove skipper Jack Bromfield blasted a great drive through the packed penalty area and into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later the points were as good as sealed for the hosts when Ben Horne slipped in attempting to clear and Grove substitute Alex Barnett advanced to clip the ball nonchalantly over the advancing Sam Booth.

A glancing header by Grove’s giant striker Isaac Phillips was brilliantly saved by Sam Booth but in the 79th minute Phillips created the fourth goal when he headed a free kick across the face of the Trafford goal and Oliver Finney arrived to tuck the ball home from ten yards.

To their credit Trafford refused to buckle and just a minute later Mackena Bradshaw fed Sean Higgins who rifled his shot past Brown from 15 yards.

And in the 89th minute Bradshaw was the architect once more when he broke down the left and pulled the ball back to Matt Davies who coolly placed his shot inside the far post to make it 4-2.

Despite this spirited performance, Trafford still occupy the bottom spot in the NPL West Division, eight points behind Wythenshawe Town and they will be desperate for three points on Saturday when they entertain Shifnal Town at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium, kick off 3 p.m.  

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